The Complete Fables Issues 1-150

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W/ issue 33 March 05 2.50 can 3.85 lg
BILL WILLINGHAM MARK BUCKINGHAM steve LEIALOHA ¢

WAY) SUGGESTED FOR MATURE READERS _vertigocomics.com

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PRING
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NA VICTIM NUMBER
; FIVE.

YAENTIT. THE ST}
MENTIL THE SP

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Y In which bodies accumu
gets a 800d scolding, war is d
pack of floaters eelebrate their first birt
Written & Created Peneilled by Inked by
by Bill Willingham Mark Buckingham Steve beialoha
Colored by Cover fart by
Daniel Vozzo James Jean
Editor: Shelly Bond

lettered by
Todd Kigin
Assistant Editor:
Mariah Hughner

Ow

H
COULD I STOP \
THEM, MR. NORTH?

a
4 t
Tig 44

vy

AY
Hilla

THEY LOVE IT. A, -

EYy'RE BELIEVE
NOT ORDINARY \ ME, MR. NORTH, I
CHILDREN. NOTICED.

y S0 YOU N
KEEP REMINDING
ME WITHOUT EVER

: EXPLAINING

TEACH THEM ~
YF 10 SHAPESHIFT, OF &
COURSE. IF YOU WAIT TOO
LONG, THEY WON'T BE
ABLE TO LEARN
IT.

P BIGBY REFUSED
TO BE ANYTHING BUT A
WOLF, SINCE HE NEVER
MUCH CARED FOR ME,
AND TOOK MORE TO
HIS MOTHER.

ANOTHER
THING YOU REPEAT
OFTEN.

BUT, TO RETURN
TO THE SUBJECT, YOU
HAVE EXTRAORDINARY
CHILDREN WHO'RE GOING
TO NEED EXTRAORDINARY
TRAINING.

WE'RE FAMILY, SNOW. YOU
DON'T HAVE TO BE SO FORMAL.
YOU CAN EVEN CALL ME “DAD”
IF YOU LIKE.

THAT'S NOT
EXACTLY APPROPRIATE
THOUGH, SINCE I'M NOT
MARRIED TO YOUR
SON.

THEY'RE
LEARNING TO FLY s0
BUT NOT WALK. THEY WHAT AM
AREN'T TALKING YET |} I SUPPOSED
AND HALF OF THEM TO DO ABOUT
STILL LOOK THAT? THEY
/NHUMAN. WERE BORN
: THAT WAY.

Wan.

Ze,
ss

cae
By THINGS YOU SAy--
THEY AS TON/ISH } \y y aT Ey et

BEFORE LONG

IT WAS TOO LATE. HE CHILDREN SHOULD'VE

| WAS STUCK IN ONE SHAPE-- ATLEAST LEARNED TO

UNTIL YOU CAME ALONG, CHANGE BETWEEN THEIR

CENTURIES LATER WITH BASIC HUMAN AND

THAT LYCANTHROPY- WOLF FORMS BY
W.

MY GRAND-
ME

STAINED KNIFE.

TIME'S SLIPPING
BY. THEY SHOULDV'E
BEEN TALKING BY

THEIR SECOND

HAT'S
THAT COMMOTION }
UP THERE? ‘|

REYNARD,
oe LITTLE LAMB D/EZ
CROWD 2 2
DOING IN THE FOUND IT EARLY THIS z yrs
SQUARE? MORNING. EVERYONE 4 4
\ KNOWS, WHERE'VE Se -
\ YOU BEEN ALL DAY,
SNOW BUNNY?

WALK-
ING IN THE

NOTHING
THAT WILL POINT
TO WHO'S DOING

: HE'S JUST .
LIKE THE OTHER FOUR. Vy
Mha\ SUFFOCATED WITH NO

es SIGNS OF TRAUMA.

SO IT
DEFINITELY
I$ MURDER

FIRST MR,
WEB. THEN SALLY
MORRISON, BARBARA
ALLEN, JACK SPRATT,
AND NOW 7A/S.

LS

iy
a
_

MARY, YOU CAN
TAKE YOUR LAMB HOME
NOW. AN AUTOPSY WON'T
BE NECESSARY.

THERE'S
NOTHING I
CAN LEARN
FROM IT.

THE KILLER |S
A ZEPHYR--A LIVING
GUST OF WIND, MUCH
LIKE MY ATTENDANT
WINDS, EXCEPT THIS
THING CAN'T TAKE
SOLID FORM.

ITSAWLD
ZEPHYR.

1 ONE COULD EVEN COME To
ory EX/ST IN THIS MUNDANE
WORLD.

g

EXCEPT
THE FIRST VICTIM
WAS KILLED WEEKS
BEFORE MR. NORTH
ARRIVED.

ASSUMING
HE ACTUALLY
ARRIVED |N OUR
WORLD WHEN
HE SAID HE

UNLESS
IT CAME HERE
ALONG W/TH

A” \\Se WE SHOULD'VE STRUCK
N \ BACK IMMEDIATELY
AFTER THE BATTLE OF

lo ~N

POSSIBILITY WE = WHO'S FABLETOWN.
“a SY’ SAY HE ISN'T STRIKING - WE SHOULD'VE
| > ; MADE THE ADVERSARY
IT'S BEEN TIME, BY SENCING THE PAY A DEAR PRICE FOR
MORE THAN A YEAR P Br ere HIS DANGEROUS ANTICS--
SINCE THE ADVERSARY'S A j BLOODIED HIS NOSE SO
WOODEN SOLDIER : Sa sais HE'D HESITATE TO
INVASION--WITH VO POSSIBLE DO IT AGAIN.
RESPONSE FROM 44 | i : >
S. |

THE FIRST
KILLINGS WERE IN
FABLETOWN. NOW IT'S
MOVED UP TO THE

BACK TO
FABLETOWN TO
CONVENE A WAR
COUNCIL AND DRAFT
A PLAN TO STRIKE
BACK AT THE
HOMELANDS.

HOW I'LL HELP you.

DOTKILLA NOW THAT I KNOW TO LOOK ~

FOR IT, IT CAN'T LONG ESCAPE
DETECTION.

=
SHERIFF, STAY
HERE. FIND A WAY TO
CAPTURE THIS THING
AND KILL IT.

KEEP ME
POSTED.

SOU AS, x
“Tae

=O

MISTRAL,
WHIFF, SQUALL,
TRACK THE THING
AND ee

THIS
PLACE ISA
\ MESS! LY

al

I USED TO NY NOWTHE
BE ABLE TO SEE V TILE LOOKS
MYSELF INTHE | BROWN AND ‘
SHINE ON THESE DINGY. : OUR CUSTODIAN
FLOORS. p Fs THREE MOMS |

SOMEONE

TRIPS OVER
MORNING TO you. GRIMBLE,
SOME EMER- FIND SOMEONE
TO MUCK THIS

GENCY uP f

AT THE PLACE OUT!

COME
WITH ME,
BABIES.

Ficts GO SEE.
GRANDPA.

4 x
= Ny a 4
NA ey

MR, NORTH,
MAY I TALK TO YOU FOR
A MOMENT?

s OF COURSE Ss
4 YOU MAY, SNOW. ANY CONSIDERED WHAT
TIME YOU LIKE. YOU TOLD ME EARLIER AND

3 7 = DECIDED YOU'RE RIGHT.

I WANT YOU TO TRAIN MY

BABIES IN THE NATURAL

GIFTS OF THEIR

HERITAGE.

I'M GLAD TO
HEAR THAT, SNOW. I'LL
BEGIN AS SOON AS WE
FINISH TRACKING
DOWN--

NO, I'D PREFER
IT IF YOU STARTED
IMMEDIATELY.

BUT THIS THIS IS

REALLY ISN'T THE EXACTLY THE TIME,
TIME TO-- SIR. YOU SAID YOURSELF
THEY'RE ALREADY FAR

BEHIND IN ESSENTIAL
LESSONS, AND ALREADY
IN DANGER OF LOSING

THESE ABILITIES
ENTIRELY.

OF COURSE
I WAS SERIOUS!
I'm ALWAYS
SERIOUS!

TRUTH IS I’M
RELIEVED THEY'LL va
BE WITH YOU--UNDER YOUR
PROTECTION--WHILE THIS
INVISIBLE KILLER MAY BE
LURKING ABOUT. A MOST

PRACTICAL
CONSIDERATION,

WERE You
SERIOUS \N THIS
MATTER, SIR, OR MERELY
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO
CRITIQUE MY MATERNAL
CAPABILITIES--PERHAPS
AS ANOTHER WAY TO
CRITICIZE BIGBY
BY PROXY?

GOOD, THEN
I'LL GET OUT OF
YOUR WAY. DARLINGS,
STAY WITH GRANDPA,
OKAY?

NO, SWEETIE,
YOU STAY WITH GRANDPA
FOR NOW.

MOMMY
WILL FETCH YOU
LATER.

e. Cie

FLYCATCHER? WHY
ARE WE SUDDENLY
TO DO, EITHER MR. NORTH AND: Yaa TALKING ABOUT
HIS BOYS CAN CATCH IT, OR THEY === Him?
CAN'T, BUT I CAN'T DO DOODLY-
S SQUAT TO HELP THEM. : AND FOR
THE RECORD, I
DIDN'T FIRE HIM.
I SETHIM
FREE.

BIGBY
WAS KEEPING
ugl THE POOR SUCKER
¥\ IN PERPETUAL

SO STINKY \
MENTIONED YOU EF
WANTED TO TALK J
TO ME--ABOUT y
SOMETHING NOT

RELATED TO
THE LATEST

I DON'T
WANT TO PIS TRACT
YOU FROM YOUR INVES-

OF COURSE
HE WAS! THAT WAS
THE WHOLE PLAN/

DON'T you GET
ITZ

DON'T
YOU KNOW AN Y-
THING?

Mes
IM HIS BACK, BUT “=
APPARENTLY FLYCATCHER THIS TIME AT A GOOP WAGE.
NOT. ENLIGHTEN SHI TOOK ALL NOT BY PILING UP COMMUNITY
ME. LOVES HIS JOB. HE THAT AWAY SERVICE HOURS ON HIM
a) KEEPS EVERYTHING CLEAN H H
wv AND WORKING IN THE WOOD- FROM BECAUSE OF A RIDICULOUS
. ‘ LAND BUILDING. HE'S HIM. SERIES OF M/NOR

IMPORTANT, BECAUSE / _ INFRACTIONS.
EVERYONE COUNTS p
» ON HIM.

/ LZ
Y,
y Me Wty

NO, NO, NO, THAT'S / BUT IF HE'S WORKING OFF \\|
NOT THE WAY IT A SERIES OF NEVER-ENDING
PUNISHMENT DETAILS, HE
ISN'T ALLOWED TO JUST WALK | E
IF FLY HAS A AWAY, SO HE GETS TO STAY THINK OF

JOB HE CAN KEEP OR ie else
QUIT AT HIS OWN WHIM, THEN mag ett nad

HE HAS TO QUIT, SO HE CAN HAPPY.
TRY TO GET BACK TO THE :
HOMELANDS, TO FIND HIS | ;
WIFE AND K/DS. BIGBY HAD S
ui . IT ALL WORKED OUT, ¥
YEARS AGO. DIDN'T
bE TELL yOu?

HE TOLD ME TO ALWAYS
KEEP BUSTING FLY FOR EATING
FLIES, BUT NEVER EXPLAINED WH”.
I JUST ASSUMED FLY WAS
ANOTHER ONE OF HIS WHIPPING
BOYS--LIKE JACK.
| [|

OKAY I'LL
f : HE EARNS
nee eit oy HIS COT BY CLEANING
Dee ae a UP AT NIGHT, BUT DURING
| | THE Day HE'S CONSTANTLY
SNOTTY. TOLD ME THAT vey eee
VULCO TOLD HER CUSTOMERS IF THEY KNOW

THAT FLY'S BEEN
LIVING IN THE OF A GATE STILL OPEN

EGCMAN'S Jue 10 THE HOMELANDS.
BASEMENT.

AND THEY
] LET YOU BE
) SHERIFFZ

Vr :
BA o> - a
TWILL, ae

THEY'RE
DATING.

AWAY! BEFORE
i ‘A HE LEAVES, OR DOES
wt\” SOME OTHER STUPID
THING!

BUT DON'T
CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

YOURSELF YOU'RE ¥
— a USELESS ON THIS )
Vee CASE, ANYWAY.

Fos A f ; we iy
Ree 5 "yeh \ a
wie eT) ; VP

fatty (|

o

WW,

a a = Ff pS SS \\,, Ya mM
— Slain

JACKS

GOT HIMSELF GONE 100?

BOUNCED OUT OF
OFFICE. IT'S ALL
GOING TO
PIECES,
ISN'T IT2

r YEAH. TOOK
OFF LAST YEAR.
DIDN'T YOU NOTICE HE
WASN'T AROUND
ANYMORE?

|! BRANSTOCK:
TAVERN:. /

I Just ASSUMED HE'D \| MAYBE JACK'S RIGHT.
GOTTEN CAUGHT DOING ONE MAYBE FABLETOWN /S
OF HIS SCHEMES, AND GOT HEADED FOR THE

HIMSELF LOCKED AWAY IN THE CRAPPER.
WOODLAND BASEMENT
AGAIN. THE NEW
MAYOR'S CERTAINLY
NAW, HE SHOWN HIMSELF TO

CUT OUT. SAID BE NOT WORTH A
FABLETOWN WAS S TINKER'S DAMN.
FINISHED AND .

THEN HIT THE
ROAD.

a Y_TiLNeep WG
PEOPLE CAPABLE OF
a, ( STRATEGIC THINKING-- Fe

ONES I CAN TRUST TO
KEEP SECRETS.

SO LET YOURSELF
INTO BIGBY'S--SORRY,
INTO BEAST'S OFFICE AND
PULL HIS FILES ON THE

_ TOURISTS. __~

YES YOU
DO SO KNOW OF
THE TOURISTS, BEAUTY.
THEY'RE THOSE THREE \
SPIES THE SHERIFF HAS,
WHO KEEP TABS ON ALL
PTE FABLES LIVING

— ABROAD. <

pay

t

ACTUALLY SINCE

MAYOR NOW, THEY'RE THE
THREE SPIES TZ HAVE.

5 S0 LET'S
HAUL THEM HOME
AND PUT THEM TO

SOME REAL
~ WORK.

i ee

IMTHE GODVAMNED

THERE SHOULD
BE CONTACT NUMBERS FOR
EACH OF THEM.

\”_ HOW SHOULD \
I KNOW? SOMEWHERE )* -
IN THEIR FILES.

' CALL THEM
7 UP AND ORDER EACH
OF THEM TO GET ON THE
NEXT FLIGHT HOME-- J |
TOURIST CLASS.

YES, BEAUTY
UNLESS THEY'RE IN
THE MIDDLE OF SOME
\ ABSOLUTELY PRESS- |
ING BIT OF SKUL-
DUGGERY.

TO FINP ME,
HAVEN'T
you?

you've
BEEN TRYING

ae
KNEW You'D
COME.

YOURSELF.

Q
eu
gk
au)
5=
28

I THOUGHT
I'D ONLY HAD S/X
CHILDREN.

LISTEN, YOU
CAN'T TAKE AIR
DIRECTLY FROM

PEOPLE ANY-

NOT
ANIMALS
EITHER.

BABY BUT YOU (

HAVE TO PROMISE
mA ME. NO MORE
INSIDE AIR.

Vv,

&

Ore
<
><oe

SZ

iN J NP Sy A NA ST
e; ~~
x >< SO

Ig,

aN

NO. I’M SORRY,
BUT THEY STILL WOULDN'T
UNPERS TAN.

YOU HAVE i
TO GO FAR AWAY, BABY.
FAR, FAR AWAY FROM
HERE.

oO
NZIb
i] z
ES heal <

Ny

=
—

; Ca Ss

IFE GOES ON.
=

COWAY COME ON,
BIRTHDAY, ) ( KIDS! COME WITH
BABIES! a AUNTIE ROSE!

NS

WHICH
I'LL EXPLAIN TO
YOU MESSY LITTLE
MONSTERS WHEN
YOU'RE OLDER.

YUP.
I'M STARTING
ANEW FAM/LY
TRADITION.

/ NOW
LET'S OPEN

PRESENTS!

The eruel, hot summer
¢ |.¢d into the long, hard fall,

4 aeae { Py ee eran y
Becoming the dark, Killing winter, /%

dntil spring replenished us all.

— traditional
narseryg rhyme

A. NEW STORY BEGINS

“FABLES is an excellent series in the tradition of
SANDMAN, one that rewards careful attention
and loyalty.” - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

BILL ‘=
WILLINGHAM

“[A] wonderfully twisted concept...

features fairy tale characters banished to the
noirish world of present-day New York.”
-THE WASHINGTON POST

Fw or %

~ 4 VOL. I: LEGENDS IN EXILE
VOL. 2: ANIMAL FARM

VOL. 3: STORYBOOK LOVE

VOL. 4: MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS
VOL. 5: THE MEAN SEASONS

VOL. 6: HOMELANDS

VOL. 7: ARABIAN NIGHTS (AND DAYS)
VOL. 8: WOLVES

VOL. 9: SONS OF EMPIRE

VOL. 10: THE GOOD PRINCE

VOL. 11: WAR AND PIECES

VOL. 12: THE DARK AGES

VOL. 13: THE GREAT FABLES CROSSOVER
1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL

FABLES VOL. 3:
STORYBOOK LOVE

FABLES VOL. 6: FABLES:
HOMELANDS 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL

WINNER OF TWO EISNER AWARDS »

X

RYBOOK LOVE

l r J Le nd —_——-

Suggested for Mature Readers = = —